Our definitions
A list of terms used in relation to the DataShare repository and throughout the accompanying documentation.
- Research data
- That which is collected, observed, or created in a digital form, for purposes of analysing to produce original research results.
- Dataset
- A set of files containing both research data - usually numeric or encoded - and documentation sufficient to make the data re-usable.
- Documentation
- Any digital files such as a codebook, technical or methodology report or user guide, which explain the research data’s production, provenance, processing or interpretation.
- Metadata
- Information about a data item in the repository, including descriptive metadata such as title and other fields used in a citation, and administrative metadata such as date of submission. Usually conforms to a standard to allow computer-to-computer interoperability.
- Research output
- A term used to cover all research publications, and artefacts such as presentations, and not normally used to include research data.
- Digital repository
- Differs from other digital collections in that "content is deposited in a repository, whether by the content creator, owner or third party; the repository architecture manages content as well as metadata; the repository offers a minimum set of basic services e.g. put, get, search, access control; the repository must be sustainable and trusted, well-supported and well-managed." (Digital Repositories Review, Heery and Anderson, 2005)
- Edinburgh DataShare
- The name for the digital repository hosted at the University of Edinburgh for University of Edinburgh researchers to share their completed research data to be accessed by others.
- Open Access
- Material made available online in such a way that it is free for all users to access and use.
- DSpace
- The name of the software platform used for the DataShare service (along with the Library's Publications Repository Service).
- Community
- A DSpace term used to group collections in a repository. A community can be a school or other unit of the University.
- Collection
- A group of datasets, or items. A collection can be named after the research unit responsible for creating the data or given its own name.